Astros report: As call-up nears, Alex Bregman sees first action in left

Top Astros prospect Alex Bregman made his first professional start in left field on Wednesday night for Class AAA Fresno, the latest sign his promotion to the major leagues nears.

Increased defensive versatility will create avenues for the Astros to keep Bregman's potent bat in the lineup regularly when he joins the team, especially once newly signed Cuban infielder Yulieski Gurriel is also added to the fold. A natural shortstop who also has played 12 games at third base this season, Bregman began taking fly balls in left field on Monday.

The Astros have not publicly committed to a timetable for Bregman's call-up, but it could come as soon as Friday. The Fresno affiliate closes a four-game series at Round Rock on Thursday, a night before the Astros open a six-game stand at Minute Maid Park.

The scenario of a Friday promotion would give Bregman two games with Fresno to begin his acclimation to left field, a process he could continue in the major leagues under the instruction of Astros third-base coach Gary Pettis, who in his days as a center fielder won five Gold Glove Awards. Bregman made his first Class AAA start at third base on Tuesday.

The process of exposing Bregman to the outfield, one could argue, should have started weeks ago, perhaps dating even to spring training. But given Bregman's background at a premium position such as shortstop, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow has long maintained that last year's No. 2 overall draft pick can handle multiple positions defensively.

Whether Bregman is manning shortstop, third base or left field, his carrying tool is his bat. He went 3-for-5 in Fresno's 8-5 win at Round Rock on Wednesday and is batting .388 with six home runs, six doubles and 15 RBIs in his first 15 games in the Pacific Coast League. Among those 15 appearances are eight multi-hit games and only one game without a hit.

Bregman's 20 home runs this year between Class AA and Class AAA are one fewer than he hit in three years at LSU.

Pitch hits Gattis on right hand

Wednesday's 7-0 win at Oakland didn't go without a scary moment for the Astros. Evan Gattis was hit on the back of his right hand while hitting in the fifth inning.

Gattis said he suffered a hand contusion but no fracture. X-rays were negative, and he's day-to-day.

"Optimistic and feel good," Gattis said. "If you're going to get hit in the hand, I think today - day before an off day - is a good day."

Added Astros manager A.J. Hinch: "We're confident that there's not a break in there. But pretty much a scare, and he was pretty sore, so I ended up having to hit for him regardless."

Danny Worth replaced Gattis as the designated hitter, going 0-for-2. Gattis was 0-for-2 before getting hit and wound up hitting .267 for the six-game trip.

Gattis' hand was wrapped, but he was congratulating teammates as the Astros tacked on four runs in the final two innings.

"It's feeling better, and it kind of calmed down quick," he said.

Walks reduced after rough patch

One thing Wednesday that helped the Astros stay in control: control.

After a rough stretch in which they walked 19 batters in three games, including two losses, the Astros issued only two free passes in their series-ending win at Oakland.

"It's not characteristic of our staff, certainly not in the last couple months, so it looks like a little of a bad stretch of command and control," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said before Wednesday's win. "We're not trying to walk people. Pitching a little carefully I guess, but certainly want to be more in the strike zone."

The Astros don't have a pitcher among the top 25 in walks allowed in the majors (Dallas Keuchel was 26th through Tuesday, and Doug Fister was tied for 30th). As a team, the Astros entered Wednesday 21st overall with 268 walks allowed, compared to Cincinnati's league-leading 401.

Five of Monday's six walks in a 7-4 Astros loss came in a fourth inning in which the Athletics sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Mike Fiers walked two, and Michael Feliz walked three straight, with the last two forcing home runs.

Three of the six walks issued in Tuesday's 4-3 loss extended late innings. Luke Gregerson worked around two walks in the eighth. Josh Reddick's game-winning single in the 10th scored Marcus Semien, who was in scoring position after Tony Sipp walked Yonder Alonso

The Astros walked seven Mariners on Sunday, but only one scored in an 8-1 victory at Seattle.

"This has been a couple games where the walks have hurt us," Hinch said. "They hurt us in this ballpark (the Oakland Coliseum) quite a bit -the extra 90 feet.

"We preach pounding the strike zone and pitching to contact, and the players have been really good about it. It's more a couple of bad games."

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